Migraine Pain
by ninjanervana
Summary: Two-shot: James is suffering from a horrible migraine. Luckily for him, he has Lily around to take care of him.
1. Chapter 1

Greetings readers! Now I know what you're thinking, "But ninjanervana, don't you have other stories to update?" The answer to that question is yes, yes I do. As a matter of fact, I have three stories to update. But I got a migraine at work yesterday and in the midst of my agony I thought this would be a good story to write. And so here I am with yet another James/Lily story. This story takes place during seventh year before our lovely pairing starts dating. I promise I'll get back to work on my other stories, scout's honor. (Even if I'm not a scout, it still counts I think.) For those of you haven't read my other stories, please feel free to check out my other stories: Saturday Morning, Wedding Crashers and Christmas Surprise. Happy reading and remember I don't own anything!

-ninjanervana

* * *

 _Seventh year..._

 _'Shit,'_ James thought as he rubbed his eyes tiredly before sliding his glasses back into place. It was a cool mid-October Saturday afternoon and the Head Boy was up to his neck in work. He had woken early that morning for Quidditch practice; as Captain of the team, he wanted to get in as much training as practice as possible. He was determined to win the Cup for Gryffindor, as was the rest of his team, although they didn't appreciate practicing before the sun rose. After that, he had spent two hours tutoring some third year students in Transfiguration; he was the best student in seventh year, but teaching those kids was an uphill battle. He practically inhaled his lunch before heading off to the Head's office to work on the patrol schedules he promised Lily he would do. He had a ton of other Head duties to take care of, but the schedules were at the top of the list.

He blinked rapidly, hoping to rid his eyesight of the growing blurriness. The prefect patrol schedule lay half completed on the table before him, the pounding behind his eyes making it difficult to focus on the names and dates. _'Oh Merlin, I don't have time for a migraine,'_ he thought miserably. He moved his chair further down the table to avoid the ray of sunlight that came through the window, the brightness worsening his migraine. Rubbing the back of his neck, he picked up his quill, attempting to finish the schedule. He filled in two more boxes before he was forced to stop again, the throbbing in his head growing worse with each passing moment. Taking a deep breath, he tried to ignore his aching head and the rapidly increasing nausea he felt. _'Maybe I'll close my eyes for a minute,'_ James thought tiredly, folding his arms beneath his head.

He wasn't sure how long he had closed his eyes for, but he was startled by the sound of the office door opening. It was a Hogsmeade weekend; most of the students and all of the prefects had gone down to the little village for an afternoon of entertainment, leaving a very short list of possible people in the room with him. His head shot up from where it had been cradled in his arms as he blinked to clear his vision. "Fuck," he groaned, clutching his head. He had briefly caught sight of a flash of red hair before he squeezed his eyes shut. Of course it would be her.

"James?" Lily called as she shut the door behind her. She quickly crossed the room, bending down slightly to look at him. "Are you okay?"

"Peachy," he grumbled, taking off his glasses to press the heels of his palms against his eyes. His head felt like the Beaters had used it for Quidditch practice; the sound of the chair screeching against the floor as she pulled out her chair only made it worse.

"How you haven't been expelled yet, I'll never know; you're an awful liar," Lily replied as she sat beside. "You're pale as a ghost and you look like you're in pain. You're also trying to shove your hands into your eyes. What's wrong, James? Do you need to go to the hospital wing?"

James opened his hazel eyes slowly, squinting against the light as he put on his glasses. Lily still looked a little blurry to him, but he knew his vision wouldn't be getting better any time soon. "Migraine," he said simply.

Her expression softened at his words, "I don't envy you. Why are you still here then? You should be resting."

"I said I'd finish the schedules," he replied as he glanced at the stack of papers on the table.

"It can wait," Lily answered easily as she stood. "No sense killing yourself to do it now. We can finish it together after dinner."

James looked up at her, rubbing his forehead. "But I promised-"

"And you'll keep your promise. But later," she said firmly, using the prefect voice she had perfected over the past two years. She began gathering up his papers, neatly packing them into his leather backpack before slinging it over her shoulder. "Come on, let's get you in bed," Lily murmured, offering her hand.

He smiled weakly at the red-haired girl−really she was an angel since she was saving him from his work and from his migraine− and took her hand. "Why Evans, if you wanted me in bed, you only had to ask," he joked.

"Shut up, Potter," Lily retorted without heat, still holding his hand as she led him from the office. If he wasn't so distracted by the pain in his head, he might have been tempted to say Lily Evans cared about him. A lot, more than friends would normally care about each other. As it was, he could barely focus on walking and talking about the same time.

"Bloody hell," James moaned, shielding his eyes as they stepped into the brightly lit corridor. "Why's it so bright?"

"Well it is two in the afternoon," she commented lightly. Lily waited for a moment, giving his eyes a chance to adjust before leading him along the halls. He was glad she knew the Hogwarts's shortcuts almost as well as he and the Marauders; he relied on her completely to guide him, only paying attention when she warned him of the trick step or the moving staircases. It was taking far too much energy for him to remain upright. Within minutes, they arrived at the Heads' dormitory, giving the password to enter.

James immediately threw himself onto the long couch in the common room, covering his eyes with his arm. The room was too bright, but he couldn't do anything about it.

"You really should go up to bed," Lily said gently, closing the window drapes with a flick of her wand. "You'll be more comfortable there."

"I won't make it that far," he mumbled in reply. "This is the best I've got." His stomach rolled with nausea at the thought of more movement; he didn't plan on going anywhere anytime soon. The couch was going to become his new best friend.

He was vaguely aware of Lily's retreating footsteps against the thick-carpeted floors and the sound of the wood crackling in the fireplace. He was on the verge of sleep when he heard Lily's voice again. "James," she called softly. "James, sit up."

"Do I have to?" he murmured, opening his eyes slowly. His normally clear eyes were dulled over by pain, the bright colors muted. "I'm tired."

Lily's fingers raked through his hair gently, the soothing sensation causing a soft sigh to leave his lips and his eyes to flutter shut. "I know you are," she crooned. "Just take some medicine and then you can sleep, okay?"

James pushed himself up onto his elbows, pausing as a wave of dizziness washed over him, before sitting up fully. He opened his hand, frowning as Lily placed a small pill into his palm. "Muggle medicine?" he questioned.

"Trust me; it works," she assured him as she handed him a glass of water.

Looking into her green eyes, he tossed the pill into his mouth before gulping down the water. "What are you doing?" he asked as he watched Lily tugging off his trainers.

"If you're going to sleep on the couch, you might as well be comfortable," Lily replied, a light blush on her cheeks as she set his shoes beside the couch. "At least you're not stuck in your robes."

James grinned at her, "I could get use to having a nurse."

"Don't make me leave you to suffer," Lily warned as she sat on the couch beside him. "Now lay back."

He frowned in confusion, "You're in my spot."

She rolled her eyes, her blush deepening. "Put your head on my lap, Potter," she explained. "Merlin, you can be dense."

James knew he should reply to her insult with a comment of his own, but he was still in shock of Lily's words. She wanted him, James Potter, former arrogant toe-rag, to lay his head on her lap. Silently, he stretched out on the couch, his head resting comfortably on her thighs. He stared up at her for a moment, his eyes taking in her delicate features, her red hair falling over her shoulder, before closing his eyes. "If this migraine kills me, tell Sirius he can have my broom, alright?" he joked.

"You're not going to die," she scoffed, gently taking his glasses off and setting them on the table next to the couch. "You will be in a considerable amount of pain for a while, but it'll go away."

He hummed in reply as he felt her soft hands brushing his hair off his forehead, her touch feather-light. Part of him was certain that he was hallucinating from his migraine pain, that there was no way Lily Evans was nursing him back to health, even if they were friends. As he felt something very cold cover his eyes, however, he was positive he was still awake. "Lily, what-"

"Leave it there," Lily said gently, grabbing his wrist as he reached to pull away the damp cloth. "The cold will help with your head."

James slowly moved his hand away, twisting his wrist so he could hold Lily's hand as it rested on his chest. "Lily, You don't need to do this you know," he said sleepily. "If you have other things to do, I'll be alright here; I just need to sleep it off."

"Hush," she replied softly, her free hand raking through his black hair. "I don't need to be anywhere else. Besides, I owe you one, remember?"

A small smile graced James's lips as he squeezed Lily's hand gently. "I remember."

Lily returned his smile, although he couldn't see it. "We look out for each other. Let me look out for you now, alright?"

"Alright," James yawned, his exhaustion and continuing migraine pain threatening to pull him into unconsciousness.

"Sleep, James," Lily crooned, her hand continuing to stroke his hair. "I'm here; it's alright." The last thing James was aware of before he felt asleep was the soothing feeling of Lily's hand in his hair, the warmth of her other hand resting against his chest, and the quiet sound of her humming.

* * *

When Sirius walked into the Heads' common room hours later, because of course James would give him the password, why wouldn't he, he was surprised yet unsurprised at the sight that greeted him. The common room was dark as the Forbidden Forest, although it was only after five in the evening. When the Map said James was with Lily in their shared common room, he wasn't shocked, but he was stunned into silence when he saw the pair. James lay asleep across the couch, covered with a Gryffindor blanket. His head was resting on Lily's legs, while he held one of her hands against his chest. He was sure he had never seen James look so peaceful in the seven years he had known him. Lily was also asleep on the couch, her head resting against the back of the chair. A small smile hung on her lips as her free hand rested in James's hair.

The two of them had been dancing around their feelings for quite a while; the sight of them sound asleep together gave Sirius a little hope that they wouldn't be so thick about their feelings for too much longer. Turning on his heel, he quickly left the common room, shutting the door quietly behind him. The plans with the Marauders could wait; James was right where he needed to be.

* * *

You know I had such fun writing this one-shot, I think I'll make it a two shot! Reviews please!


	2. Chapter 2

Hello readers! Here's my second chapter for this little two-shot. One of my readers suggested I do a whole mini-series of stories about the Marauders and I have to admit, I kinda wanna do it. Maybe I'll do it after I finish with the million other stories I have to complete. But for now, I hope you guys enjoy this story. If you have any ideas about stories you want to see, feel free to leave me a review. You never know what idea I may end up writing about. Happy reading!

-ninjanervana

* * *

Lily Evans knew she was in trouble, deep, deep, trouble. The sixth year prefect sat in a secluded area of the library, her History of Magic books spread out around her. With Ancient Runes unexpectedly cancelled and a free period after that, she had decided to use her free time to get a head start on her essay due next week. If she could get most of it done today, it would save her several late nights in the coming week. Or at least, that was her plan.

The pain started out as a dull ache in the center of her forehead before rapidly spreading toward her eyes. She trudged on with her work as a wave of nausea hit her, her stomach rebelling against the heavy lunch she had earlier that afternoon. Despite the increasing pain in her head, she was determined to finish her work before leaving the library. _'If I finish the draft now, I can re-write this tomorrow,'_ she reminded herself. She pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes for a moment, hoping it would relieve the pain, if only for a few minutes. _'Can't let a little headache get in the way.'_

Despite the firm pep talk she gave herself, Lily knew she wouldn't be able to finish her work, no matter how much she wanted to. What had started as a little headache bloomed into a full-bloom migraine. She still had eight inches of parchment left to write and the words and dates were beginning to blur on the page. She wanted to continue with her work, but there was no point wasting her time writing illegible rubbish. She'd be lucky if she could even write coherently.

With a dejected sigh, Lily carefully packed away her half-finished essay and books. She moved gingerly as she slipped her backpack onto her shoulder; every movement sent a stab of pain through her head, her teeth grinding together to keep from crying out in pain. _'I'll come back after dinner,'_ she promised herself. As she stood, a wave of dizziness hit her, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the edge of the table. It took a moment for her to steady herself before she slowly made her way out of the library.

She found herself regretting her decision to do her schoolwork alone as she braced her hand against the bookshelves she passed. Gryffindor Tower was almost half way across the castle and she wasn't sure she'd be able to make it there alone. A whimper escaped her lips as she stepped into the corridor, the bright sunlight streaming through the windows causing her head to pound. Taking a deep breath, she leaned against the wall, straightening her shoulders. She was Lily Evans; she refused to embarrass herself by fainting or something in the middle of the hallway. She was going to hold her head up and walk back to her dorm as normally as possible; she was a prefect after all, she had to set an example.

That thought driving her forward, she began the long walk back to Gryffindor Tower. Lily had barely made it half way down the hall before a loud voice shouted her name. She froze as she immediately recognized the voice, her eyes squeezing shut. She really didn't have the energy to deal with him right now, to deal with anything at all. _'Not now, not now, not now,' she_ thought miserably as she forced herself to move forward again, hoping he would take the hint and leave her alone.

Her hopes were for nothing as a hand gripped her wrist, forcing her to turn around. A gasp left her lips as the sudden movement caused a flare of pain, her free hand going to her head. "What, Severus?" Lily said as she yanked her hand out of the boy's grip.

"I was calling for you; I want to talk to you, Lily," Snape pleaded. "Please talk to me."

"I don't want to," she spat irritably. "I don't want to and I don't have to. I don't owe you anything." Lily turned to go, but found her arm in Severus's grip again. "Stop grabbing me!"

"Then stop walking away from me," he snapped. "Let me talk to you."

"I don't _want_ to talk to you! Don't you get it!" Lily nearly shouted. She tried to tug her arm free, but he tightened his grip on her, refusing to let go. She was on the verge of tears, feeling too worked up by everything. Every time she saw him, she felt a nearly overwhelming combination of anger and sadness; that combined with her pounding headache and her awful nausea made her sure she was going to be sick if she couldn't get away from him. "If you don't let go of me right now," Lily hissed, "I'm going to-"

"Hello Lily," a familiar voice called from behind her. Lily felt her shoulders slump with relief as she turned her head to look at him. She never thought that she would see the day when she was relieved to see James Potter, but the day had indeed arrived. Since their truce at the beginning of the year, they had become cautious friends, something she enjoyed more than their constant bickering. And something she greatly appreciated at the moment.

"James," Lily murmured, her relief clear on her face.

He frowned at her, his eyes running over her face. "You two were making a lot of noise," he said with feigned nonchalance, his eyes focused on Snape. He wrapped his arm protectively around Lily's shoulders, gently pulling her arm from the other boy's grasp.

"Mind your own business and get lost, Potter," Snape spat.

James's hazel eyes hardened at his words. "When someone tells you to let them go and you refuse to listen, it becomes my business," he replied coldly.

Lily rubbed at her forehead, her vision blurring. The last thing she wanted or needed was these two dueling in the hallway. Again. "Severus, just…just leave me alone," she said tiredly, leaning into James's side. "I don't want to talk to you."

Snape stared at the pair for a moment, opening his mouth to speak before snapping it shut and striding off down the hall.

Once Snape was out of sight, James looked down at Lily, his hazel eyes dark. "Are you alright? I got worried when I heard you shouting."

Lily opened her mouth to tell him she was fine, to brush off his concern, but the words simply wouldn't come out. She knew her quivering lower lip wouldn't fool anyone and she wanted someone to lean on. "I feel awful," she admitted, her voice cracking. She was leaning into James more heavily than she should have, but she was too exhausted and dizzy to care. "I've got a horrid migraine."

James hummed sympathetically, slipping her heavy backpack from her shoulder and putting it on his. "Mum gets them all the time; they're bloody awful," he replied. "Let me walk you back to the dorms; you look like you're going to drop."

"I feel like it," Lily murmured. She straightened herself up, taking a few steps before she felt her legs shaking.

He slipped his arm around her waist, helping to hold her up. "Don't hex me for this, Evans; just trying to keep you off the ground," he joked. "Don't think I'm trying to get handsy with you."

"I'll let it pass this time, Potter," she replied with a weak smile, leaning her head against his side.

The walk to Gryffindor Tower seemed twice as long with Lily's slow pace and her throbbing headache. She knew more than once she had been walking with her eyes closed, depending on James to guide her and keep her upright. They had barely gotten into the common room when Lily's legs finally gave out; she would have gone crashing to the ground if it wasn't for James's quick reflexes.

"Shit," Lily muttered as she gripped his arms, grateful that the common room was empty at the moment. She could already feel herself blushing at her weakness. "Thanks."

"There's no way you're going to make it up to the girls' dormitory," James declared as he slipped his arms beneath the back of her thighs, lifting her into his arms.

Lily's arms flew to his shoulders, gripping his shirt lightly. "James!" she exclaimed, wincing at her sharp tone. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna take you up to the boys' dormitory," he answered easily. He quickly climbed the stairs, taking care not to jostle Lily too much. "You'd never make it up the steps and if anything happens to you, the dormitory is probably empty. At least I can look after you in our room."

She could feel her blush deepen at his words, unable to meet his eyes. "You don't need to do that, James; you've done more than enough," she mumbled as he pushed open the door to the boys' dormitory, lightly kicking it to shut behind them.

"You're my friend; I can't leave you to suffer alone," James answered, a small smile on his lips. "I know you'd do the same for me."

Lily knew she should reply to him, echo his sentiment, but her migraine made it hard for her eyes to even focus on his face, let alone string together a coherent thought about how she felt about James. She was saved from answering as James set her carefully on a bed, his bed she presumed.

"Wait here; I'll get a potion for your head," he said, dropping her bag beside the bed before darting off to the bathroom. He was back in a moment, pressing a vial full of lavender-colored potion into her palm. Lily raised an eyebrow at him before turning her gaze back to the vial. "It's safe, I promise," James assured her. "Just trust me."

She looked into his eyes before nodding, quickly drinking the potion. "That tastes vile," she groaned, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

James chuckled as he crouched in front of her. "Yeah, I know," he said as he grasped her foot.

"What are you doing?" Lily questioned, jerking her foot away from him.

"Well you're not going to sleep with your shoes on," James replied as if it was obvious. "You're not putting your shoes on my bed." With a few deft movements, he had removed her black school shoes, setting them neatly beside his nightstand. "Robe too."

"Nurse Potter," she teased lightly, pulling off her robe and handing it to him to hang. Sleeping in her uniform wouldn't be the most comfortable thing, but she wasn't going to complain.

James laughed, pulling back the sheets and gesturing for her to climb in. "As your nurse, I prescribe a two hour nap to help your migraine. A longer nap may be suggested if that doesn't prove adequate."

Lily smiled as she climbed beneath the sheets, a sigh leaving her lips as her head hit the pillow. His bed was comfortable and the smell of James on the sheets was oddly relaxing. Her nausea eased slightly as she closed her eyes, though the pounding in her head didn't cease. She felt James cover her with the sheet, tugging them up to her shoulder before closing the bed curtains. She was almost certain he left her alone when she heard the curtains on the other side of the bed open.

"Don't mind me; make yourself comfortable," James murmured as he lay on top of the sheets, closing the curtains behind him.

"Something I can help you with, James?" she questioned, her eyes barely open. Now that she could lie down and relax somewhere dark and quiet, she could feel sleep tugging at her mind, threatening to pull her under.

"Just keeping an eye on you," he replied as he reached over to her, pulling her hair loose from its ponytail. His hands gently massaged her scalp, earning a sigh of appreciation from Lily.

Lily shifted a little closer to him, her hand gripping the sheets. "Thank you, James," she mumbled sleepily. "I owe you one."

James smiled slightly, watching as Lily's body relaxed into sleep. "Anytime, Lily. Now you need to sleep," he murmured.

She mumbled in reply, letting James's comforting presence and soothing fingers guide her to sleep.

* * *

When Lily woke an hour later, she was surprised to find her head resting on James's chest, her hand gripping the front of his shirt loosely. It looked like he was in the same spot as when she fell asleep; at some point as she slept, her subconscious decided to make itself comfortable. She had to admit, she was incredibly comfortable. James's arm was wrapped around her shoulder, his head resting on top of hers. He still had his glasses on, the frames slightly askew. When she shifted against him, his hold on her tightened, a soft murmuring leaving his lips.

A small smile tugged at her lips. _'He did say to sleep at least two hours,'_ she thought as she closed her eyes, focused on the steady beat of his heart. _'Another hour of sleep couldn't hurt.'_

* * *

Reviews please!


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